Gramma Barbie Goes Global

The mountains were incredibly beautiful – it is hard to capture them in pictures….

My tent, our campsite, the surrounding area.

Yes, it was the coldest night, but I was prepared and slept well…..

We crossed over several of these type of bridges on the trek.

It was too late to climb up to these ruins by the time we passed them.

I thought this was a type of orchid, but Ramiro corrected me and told me it was a lady slipper.  It was about 1 1/2 inches long.

At this pass, we had a ceremony to thank Pachamama (mother earth) for everything she provides and ask for a favor.   We had carried a small flat rock up from the bottom and Ramiro, our guide placed 3 coca leaves at the base of our little pile of rocks for Pachamama.  The coca leaves have to be 3 or multiples thereof because of the Inca triology.

My cheering brigade.  As I approached the summit of Dead Woman’s Pass I heard ‘Barbara!  Barbara!  Barbara!’ being chanted.  Then they did the wave hand in hand.  A lady who was hiking up said ‘How can you not continue when you hear that’.  I told her it was my cheering squad and she said that she was considering it hers, as well.  As I came within a few feet of the top, I heard ‘Barbara, this is for you!’ and I looked up to see them duck down then jump up with their arms in the air.  I received high fives, hugs, etc. when I reached the top.  THANK YOU, MY TREKKING FAMILY!  You brought tears to my eyes!

This was a spot, like a hostel, where weary travelers could spend the night.  the last picture is a small separate building below the rest where the lodge keeper would have lived.

The rule in Machupicchu province is ‘what goes down must come up’.  Every time we headed down, we all knew it just meant we would have to go back up.